I, Midoriko
by Lady Athenis
Summary: Behind every legend lies "the back story": just who was the creator of the Shikon no Tama? Mido/InuPapa. Rated M for future chapters. CURRENTLY UNDER REVAMP. 08/05/2010: Chapter three has been re-posted for reading.
1. Chapter 1

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Inuyasha, character or story-wise. Inuyasha and all related characters are owned by their creator, Rumiko Takahashi, and affiliates. This story is owned by me, and is a complete work of fiction; no monies were earned in its creation.**

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Listen now to the words of the one who started it all… eons ago, when the worlds of human and youkai were not so separated as they are now. A time when each being would look at the other with curiosity instead of mistrust, compassion instead of loathing, and love instead of hatred.

"_Now I can tell you what I've done for you…"_

**~Evanescence, "Going Under"**

**I, Midoriko**

**Prelude**

I am Midoriko. My name means 'Green Child'.

In the early years of my life, I didn't realize the true meaning, or the significance of being a 'green child'. Images of a cursed nature went through my head, influences caused by the other children of the village. There had not been anyone named Midoriko before, and they took great pleasure in taunting me with my name's meaning when Hika-obaa-san was not around.

"Midor-_icko_! Midor-_icko_! Green's _icky_," they would say. "It's the color of sickness and bruises."

Did I appear 'green' to others? Did my eyes deceive me as I examined my skin? Did the water in our village's carp pond betray the color of my reflected visage?

Surely I must have been cursed. But my skin was the same color as Mother, and Father, and the rest of the villagers. I would come home crying nearly every day, wondering why my cousins would say such things. Finally, I decided to ask Mother the meaning behind my name.

She sighed deeply and told me that when it came time to choose my name, Father originally wished to name me _Arashi_, meaning storm, to signify the night of my birth, which was also the worst night of storms during the height of the typhoon season. But Mother had chosen the name of Midoriko instead, which turned out to be appropriate because the first word from my mouth months later was not 'mama' or 'papa', but 'tree'. At that time, when I had first learned to walk, Mother began to take me with her while she worked the fields, and I was always wandering off towards the forest. There was just 'something' that drew me to the cool green shadows. Mother would catch me before I got too close, telling me that I must never wander into the forest by myself. _Bad things lived in the forest._ Her voice had a fearful tone, as her eyes would dart around, quickly scanning the edge of the tree line for danger before she returned with me in her grasp.

As I grew older, I learned to help Mother plant the rice seedlings in the paddies. My hands always tingled when the feathery stalks tickled down my palms to my fingertips, and into the mud; it made me giggle. Mother always had this look on her face afterwards, like she had seen something unbelievable. The rice that grew from our planting was the tallest and produced the most grains every time. Other people in our village soon were asking me to help them plant their rice as well. Some said that I was a blessing, to have been named Midoriko, and it made me happy to hear such. But others were jealous and thought my parents as presumptuous for giving me such a name.

"How dare they?" they would whisper. "She is nothing special. Her eyes are the color of storm clouds; too much water. She is not nearly as pretty as Masuka either."

Masuka was my cousin, born seven moons after me. Although I was older, she was taller than me, with long, brown hair that reflected the sunlight, where mine was black, so black that it was almost blue. Masuka's eyes were a warm brown color while mine were a color not seen before, and to me, she was prettier. In personality, we were like oil and water. Although she was my cousin, and I tried to make friends with her, Masuka didn't like me. She found more fun in teasing me of being 'special', and I never understood why. Sometimes when she teased me she would kick me in the shins, or smack my arms or sometimes even my head, to get me to retaliate, but I wouldn't hit back. I endured many years of her provocation, and my confusion eventually turned into anger at the taunts of the other children. Masuka always instigated the teasing, and egged the others on. I would clench my fists in anger because Mother would tell me over and over to not fight back. I walked away instead, but it didn't change the feelings that I had.

My revenge was to find her a similar moniker and use it to my advantage; I found it in calling her 'masicka'. Others might have called her pretty, but she reminded me of a catfish. Ugly as sin, that fed off the bottom of the pond where the sewage lay. Yes, that was Masuka's true nature to me. If I were to be called 'Midor-_icko_', then she would be 'Ma-_sick_-_a_'.

One day, however, things changed. Masuka and her group cornered me down by the weirs, and she got brave, shoving me during one of her taunting sessions. It was a mistake, but what I did to retaliate was equally one. I knew that I wasn't supposed to fight, but I had had _enough_. I swung my balled-up fists and punched her, right in the nose, which immediately started to bleed.

I remember my fists felt funny right before I swung at her. They felt like they were on fire, like a heat was starting from my center, rising up to my shoulders, down my arms and shooting out my fingers.

After I punched her, there was a brief pause in the crowd, and I heard nervous whispers from the others. "Did you see that? There was _a strange light_ coming from her hands." As I glanced around, seeing the fear in their faces, then back down to my still tingling hands, Masuka lunged at me, and we fell to the ground in a tussle of hands and hair. We fought like two cats, complete with the screaming, which was another mistake, because it brought the attention of Hika-obaa-san.

"Midoriko-chan! Masuka-chan! Stop this at once!"

Hika-obaa-san was the eldest and only girl in her family, the village teacher, and a grandmother ten times over. _Our_ grandmother. She parted the gaggle of gawking cousins and yanked us apart. My clothing was torn at the shoulders and bloodied, but not from _my_ blood. Masuka had pulled out some of my hair, and had sustained a black eye.

"She started it!" Masuka screamed, pointing at me, a patch of my hair still within her fist.

"You shoved me!" I yelled back, but Hika-obaa-san was having none of it.

"SILENCE! Both of you!" she admonished as she jerked each of our arms. She turned to Masuka and asked for her story first. Masuka sobbed pitifully as she told our grandmother of my punching her nose and blackening her eye.

"Is this true?" Hika-obaa-san looked at me.

"No, she shoved me first," I started to say, but was only able to get out "No, she…" before Grandmother sternly asked me again, with a sharp jerk on my arm.

"IS this true?"

She bent lower so I was forced to stare into her eyes as she gripped my arm. Mother always told me to be respectful; _Do not show defiance by looking someone in the eye_, and to never lie. Yet I found diverting my gaze from Hika-obaa-san put Masuka in my line of vision, sneering and sticking out her tongue behind our grandmother's back.

_Catfish._ I hated her. I know that is a word with a wicked meaning behind it, but as a child of ten years old, sometimes I didn't think. I reacted, blindly, almost as if it was on instinct. My eyes flitted back to Hika-obaa-san's eyebrows (which were close to her eyes) and I gritted my teeth.

"Yes, it's true." I knew that I would be punished for striking Masuka. Hika-obaa-san always carried a bamboo reed under her arm, long and tapered at the end, and we all knew just how hard she could use it. She told us both to stand where we were and then smacked Masuka a few times across the back of her bare legs, saying, "Taunting another to the point of retaliation is unseemly. Go wash your face in the river." Hika-obaa-san then turned to me.

She repeatedly smacked me across my legs. My skin stung with every strike, but it didn't hurt nearly as much as her words. "You are barbaric! You _know_ your mother has told you to set a good example, and here I catch you fighting!"

I tried to tell her that I was not barbaric, and was only defending myself when she yelled again, "Silence! You have disgraced your family! Your parents will hear of this!" When Hika-obaa-san stopped to draw breath, I took to my heels and _ran_.

Down the riverbank, across the bridge—_faster_—out of the village, out into nowhere. Half-blinded by tears of anger and hurt, I tore across the embankment between the rice paddies and into the cool shadows of the forest. Dodging trees and rocks, I turned to see if anyone was following me; of course, that was when I tripped on a root and tore the bottom of my clothing, scraping my knees badly in the dirt.

_Mou!_ I cursed in a very unladylike fashion. The painfully torn skin on my knees didn't slow me down as I found my feet and continued running until my sides ached. Finally, I couldn't take another step, and I collapsed to the forest floor, gasping painfully. _Breathe_, I told myself. _Just breathe_. While I choked on my sobs, trying to catch my breath, the world around me blurred until I forced myself to calm down, my chaotic thoughts still churning. _It isn't fair that I was punished! Masuka started it! _Beating the ground hard with my fists, I cried myself into a state of exhaustion.

Tired from my exertion, I rolled over onto my back, feeling incredibly weary and sore, my throbbing knees finally making themselves felt. I stared at the clouds for a while until my heart finally stopped feeling like it was about to burst from my chest. When a chill swept my exposed skin, I paid closer attention to the color of the sky and realized that nightfall was not far off. Quickly sitting up, I looked around; with a sinking sensation, I discovered that I was in an unfamiliar part of the forest and that if I didn't move _now_, I wouldn't be able to find my way home before it became too dark to see.

The night breeze swirled, bringing with it the menacing sounds of encroaching darkness. I couldn't help myself; I started to cry again.

That was when I met _him_.

_**Hmm… I sense you nearby…do you think you can hide?**_

**XxX**

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**A/N:** This chapter is a revamp of one previously posted. The original "Prelude" chapter was posted some two to three years ago. I decided it needed a little polishing-up.

I wish to thank **Fenikkusuken** and **Free da Chickens**, respectfully, for their patient work in betaing this story. My eternal gratitude.


	2. Chapter 2

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Inuyasha, character or story-wise. He and all other related characters are owned by their creator, Rumiko Takahashi, and affiliates. This story, and all of its original characters are mine. No monies were gathered in its creation; it is a complete work of fiction courtesy of my mind and Muses. Enjoy!**

My eternal gratitude to **Fenikkusuken** and **Free Da Chickens**, my betas, for lending all of their constructive suggestions to me in breathing new life into this story. Thank you again, ladies.

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**I, Midoriko**

**Chapter 2**

A full moon rose into the sky, and the forest came alive with the sounds of the night. I sat against the tree, letting the chirrup of crickets calm me as I regained my breath, wiping my tears onto my sleeve. As I gazed up into the night sky at the moon, suddenly all was still, and I had the distinct feeling that someone, or _something_, was approaching. My heart hammered in my chest, as twigs snapped to my left, and I nervously peeked in that direction. A tall, white figure appeared out of the darkness, paused at the edge of trees on the other side of the clearing, and then came right towards me.

I blinked my tear-swollen eyes and focused. The first thing I noticed was that the being looked like a man, about Father's age, but was not… human.

His boots were dark in color with some woven decoration over the tops and his white hakama were tucked into them. Clawed hands rested atop the hilts of two swords shoved thorough the colorful sash knotted at his waist over an armored breastplate adorned with a huge four-pointed jewel and very large spikes at the shoulders. Under that was a silken white robe, adorned with his house crest on the shoulders and at the end of the sleeves. A long, fuzzy pelt that ended in two 'tails' hung from his shoulders, and his long white hair was pulled back into a high ponytail. A full tousle of bangs hung into his eyes, almost concealing them. I stared in awe, my mouth gaping open like a carp. _Who is this pale 'man'?_

He cocked his head to one side and raised an eyebrow. As an errant breeze swirled around me, the moonlight revealed a pointed ear and a dark jagged stripe along his cheek. Mother had told me stories of _glowing creatures_ living deep within the forest. Some people thought they were part of Kami and called them by many names, such as _bakemono_, _mononoke_, or _obake, _but other people told tales of beings that possessed the ability to imitate human form, and could trick or harm you if you came across them. Some were called _akuma_, or demons, and were known to eat humans, while others were called _kitsune_, or even _youkai_. From what I learned, _youkai_ were mysterious creatures that possessed magical traits, such as transformation, and knew about human weaponry. They could be unpredictable as well. We all knew that they existed, but no one had ever come across a _youkai_ and had lived to tell the tale. My heart felt like it would leap out of my chest as I faced what I hoped was not a _youkai_, and at the same time I hoped that it wasn't an _akuma_, either.

I swallowed what felt like a stone into my stomach. "Are you an _akuma_?" I shakily asked.

The being furrowed his brow and shot me a seriously scary look.

I tried again. "Are you a… _kitsune_?"

The scary look became a downright glare.

"Y-you're a… _youkai_?" As he inclined his head in affirmation, fear took hold. _W-will he eat me? I can run, but he could catch me before I can take two steps_. I decided to offer him utmost respect, pivoting from my sitting position onto my knees and into a deep bow, my hands in front and my forehead touching the ground. I fought back tears of pain in favor of saving my life. "_Youkai_-dono, I didn't mean to intrude into your forest; please don't eat me," I begged.

He stepped closer, and I gulped noisily. Sniffing the air a few times, he stated, "You are afraid of me," in a voice that was rich in tone and honey-smooth.

"No, _youkai_-dono," I lied. He snorted, and a long pause ensued. _Perhaps he won't eat me?_ I decided to be brave, and asked, "I have heard of different types of _youkai_, but have never seen one. Which kind of _youkai_ are you?"

Ignoring my question, he stepped closer. "Why were you crying?"

"I—I'm lost, _youkai_-dono. I fell when I was running and scraped my knees."

The _youkai_ finally crouched down until he was eye level with me, sniffing. "Indeed, you have hurt yourself. Sit up, girl, and wait here."

Rising upright, he disappeared again into the dark, and I nervously obeyed his order and awaited his return, studying the filthy condition of my knees. _My life has been spared, but where is he going?_ As my ears tuned in, I heard the sounds of running water. _There was a stream nearby; why didn't I hear it before? I could have cleaned my cuts!_

My thoughts were interrupted by the _youkai's_ return with a wetted cloth in his clawed hand. Crouching in front of me again, he proffered the cloth. I slowly raised my head, still fearful of looking further upwards. The _youkai_ waved it towards my face, and I flinched at the sight of his claws, but I timidly raised my hand and took it. The _youkai_ rose, stepping back and waited, watching me as I remained in my place with the cloth dangling from my fingers. Feeling his gaze upon me, I finally dared to look up into his pale-skinned face. _If_ _youkai_ _were_ _human,_ _this one looks about the same age as Father._ There were small lines on his face, around the mouth and eyes, very much like Father had. _Mother said that youkai_ _age much slower than humans, so he must be much older than Father… but those eyes! He has the most beautiful golden eyes!_ Remembering that he might consider me as his dinner, my gaze shot downwards again.

"Why were you running?" he asked.

"Because I was mad at someone," I answered, surprised at his interest, then hissed thorough my teeth as the raw skin on my knees stretched. Placing the cool cloth upon my wounds, I sighed happily as the pain slowly eased. Although he didn't ask for the details, I told him anyway. "My cousins like to tease me about my name. It makes me mad and today I hit one of them." My words stuck in my throat, and I sniffled, "I don't like my name."

"Which one of your cousins did you strike?" he asked, apparently intrigued.

"Her name's Masuka, but I call her 'masicka'. She looks like a catfish."

A sharp, short noise came forth from his throat. _Was that a laugh or a bark?_

"And what did she do to you that made you run into the forest?"

"She shoved me, and I punched her in the nose."

He blinked. "Indeed?"

"Then we started fighting, and Hika-obaa-san came, and we got into trouble—well, I got into more trouble. Hika-obaa-san yelled at me—told me I was a barbarian while she beat me with her switch." It was at that moment I remembered the bruises on my backside, which still hurt. "I'm okay. It doesn't hurt much," I lied unprompted, but I shifted my position to ease the strain.

The _youkai_ crossed his arms. Propping his chin on his hand, he asked, "What is your name, child?"

"M-Midoriko," I stammered.

He stared at me for several heartbeats and then snorted. "It fits. Only someone named as such would recognize a _youkai_."

"I… don't understand." I mumbled. _What does he mean? Only 'someone like me' would know what he is?_

"Do you know the meaning of your name?" His furrowed brows made him look scary.

"It means 'green child'. I don't like it—my cousins say that it's icky."

The youkai barked _(laughed?)_ again and I lowered my head, the painful taunts echoing in my mind. "Yes, 'green child' it means, and it is a powerful name. It is nothing to be ashamed of," he clarified.

I peeked up into his inhuman eyes. _My name is a name of power?_

"To be called such means that you are a gifted child, a child of nature. You have been blessed with a power that you cannot yet fathom," he explained patiently. "You have the power of a miko."

My jaw dropped. _A miko?_

"Come. It is late, and your people will be looking for you. I will take you to your village."

The _youkai_ straightened up and waited; I tried to jump to my feet, but I lost my balance in my haste. He reached out to me with a clawed hand, and I tumbled backwards against the tree trunk. Letting his hand drop, he studied me for a long moment before stooping to look me in the eye. "I will not eat you; I give you my word. Humans are not my… _preferred_ delicacy," he assured, but his smile revealed sharply pointed fangs.

I swallowed hard. _H-he hasn't given me any cause for fear… but those fangs! And those claws! _The _youkai_ waited patiently, his golden eyes glowing in the shadows under his long bangs. Making up my mind, I cautiously held out my hand and did my best not to flinch as his long fingers wrapped around my palm and tightened as he pulled me to my feet. _His_ _skin is so warm…I thought he would be cold because of his pale color!_ Feeling much braver, I moved closer to his side as he released my hand, took back the damp cloth and tucked it into his breastplate.

The night wind whirled around my bare legs and arms, and I shivered, wrapping my arms around myself. The _youkai_ said nothing, but a moment later, his pelt dropped over my shoulders. It was incredibly soft, like the down of ducklings, and I buried my fingers deeply into its warmth as I pulled it around me. As he glided away into the forest, I hastened to follow, the long pelt trailing behind me on the ground due to my much shorter height, but it never caught on any tree roots or branches.

After a few moments had passed in our walk, I became more curious… and braver. "_Youkai_-dono, how do you know where I live?" I asked.

"Your scent tells me where to go because your people have a similar smell." We followed a path that became more familiar the further along it we traveled. Before long, we were at the edge of the forest looking across the fields, and I saw the familiar huts of my village. I could smell the evening meals cooking and my stomach growled in response.

The _youkai_ stooped and gently removed his pelt from around me, the amazing softness tickling over my skin. "You will find your own way now." He turned and started to walk off, but I quickly called out another question, and he paused, waiting.

"_Youkai_-dono, wait! Please… what's your name?"

Glancing over his shoulder, he fixed a golden eye upon me. "I am the Inu-no-Taisho," he intoned, then turned towards the forest and was gone, but his name would be burned into my memory for a long time; it was many years before I would see him again. _Inu-no-Taisho_, I mused. _Leader of Dogs_.

_**I do not know your name, nor do I care. They call you " Mimizu no Okii"… the Great Worm…**_

**xXx**

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**End note**: This chapter is a revamp of one originally posted about a year (or so) ago. I decided it needed some more 'meat to it', and a spit and polish as well.

The various descriptions of Japanese supernatural beings (_akuma, bakemono, mononoke_, etc.) generally all mean the same thing, though there are _slight_ differences. No self-respecting Taiyoukai such as InuPapa would _ever_ classify himself with others such as a _kitsune_. ::giggle::

Thank you to **Knitting Knots** (by way of Fenikkusuken) in clarifying such.

**On the name Masuka**: fiddling through my English-to-Japanese dictionary for a name similiar to 'catfish', I came across two interesting words. _Masu_, which means 'trout'; and _ka_, roughly meaning 'of' or 'belonging to a personal nature', as in a name. It seemed to fit.

Midoriko means _green child_, respectfully, and there is a meaning behind InuPapa refering to her as a child of nature. All will be revealed in time.


	3. Chapter 3

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Inuyasha, character or story-wise. He and all related characters belong to his creator, Rumiko Takahashi and affiliates. This story is of my creation with the collaboration of my Muses. No monies were obtained in this writing; it is a complete work of fiction. Your reviews are my payment. Enjoy!**

**Eternal gratitude and reverances: **to my beta and delta, **Fenikkusuken **and **Free Da Chickens, **respectfully. Thank you again, ladies.

**This chapter was originally posted some two to three years ago. I decided to give it more... volume, adding the appearance of a 'special guest'.**

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**I, Midoriko**

**Chapter 3**

I became more adventurous as I grew older, leaving after my lessons with Hika-obaa-san to explore the forest, going a little further each day to familiarize myself with its surroundings. Mother noticed this and suggested that I start gathering various herbs for her. My mother came from a long line of healers- her mother, her grandmother, great-grandmother- as far back as she could remember. She had been trained to know which plants had healing properties, and whenever the shrine ran low on something, she helped to replenish their supplies.

One warm summer day, she sent me out on just such a search. There were two plants in particular that I was asked to fetch: one contained the most healing properties, and though it caused hallucinations due to its slight poisonous nature, it was the strongest. The other was a parasitic plant that fed on trees, and it acted as a catalyst when combined with almost any other plant. Though the second plant could be found nearly anywhere, the first could only be found deep in the forest.

Not surprisingly, I had a hard time locating the first plant, but I finally found it growing in a deeply shady thicket. To my bewilderment, there was another kind of plant twining around the one that I sought: nettle! It also had helpful properties, and Mother would be pleased if I could bring it back as well as the other, but if I were to touch the nettle, I risked painful blisters!

As I stood there, trying to determine the best way to avoid the nettle's barbs, I felt the strangest sensation- a cold breeze that caused the hairs on the back of my neck to stand straight up. A strong feeling of being watched caused me to quickly turn around.

A tall, silver-haired youkai glimmered in the shadows of the thicket, golden eyes gleaming as he watched me.

"Inu-no-Taisho-dono! Greetings!" I exclaimed, bowing deeply.

He stepped forward, glancing in the direction of the plants. "Are you looking for something?"

"Yes, I found the plant I need—over there." I pointed to the cluster of nettle that encased my treasured plant within its spiked embrace. "It has been hard to find lately because of so little rain, and my village's shrine is in need of more. Mother sent me to find some, along with the parasitic tree plant."

He focused on the clump of greenery. "Ahh… you seek out the _mogusa_. But, you must be mindful of the stinging plant as well."

"It's okay; I think I've figured out a way to avoid the nettle." Picking up a broken branch and snapping off the dried-up twiglets so they wouldn't tangle, I carefully edged closer to the plants, mindful of my bare legs and feet as I drew near the outermost leaves. Flattening the prickling nettle with the branch, I cleared an area so that I could reach the _mogusa_, but then I realized that the infernal nettle was tightly wrapped around my goal.

This posed a challenge. _How can I remove the nettle without damaging either the mogusa or me? __This could be tricky…._

Struck by an idea, I closed my eyes, stretching out my hands until I was sure I could 'feel' the nettle. When I peeked through my lashes, my fingers were just at the tips of the barbs. _It's working!_ My center turned warm, radiating down each arm, causing my hands to tingle and glow lightly, surrounded by a colorful cloud.

_Violet? Weird. It's usually pink._

Cautiously encircling the nettle, I watched as it shrank away at the glow, leaving the _mogusa_ untouched and unharmed. I shook my hands lightly to stop the flow of … light, then wrapped my hands around the root base of the _mogusa_ and tugged hard. After a few moments of resisting, the plant gave way, bringing with it a small clump of dirt. Using the stick as a makeshift shovel, I dug under the root of the nettle and freed it of dirt as well. When I came out of the brambles with the _mogusa_and the nettle held gingerly by the rootball, the Inu-no-Taisho was still in his original position. His eyebrows were raised, like he was thinking hard on something, and his gaze was focused intently on me.

"These are the ones that I need," I said, proudly showing off my prizes. I was going to explain that Mother wanted mogusa and the nettle was a bonus when he asked…

"Have you done that before?"

I tilted my head a little. "I don't understand, Inu-no-Taisho-dono. Done what?"

He made a dismissive motion with a clawed hand. "Purified what you did not need. Made the light come from your hands. Have you done this before?"

I thought for a moment. "I helped Mother, not too long ago, when she was healing someone who was hurt really badly. She had me press a cloth filled with _mogusa_ over the man's wound to stop the bleeding, but something odd happened then, too. My hands felt like they were on fire."

"Hmm… any other times?" He half-closed his eyes.

"No, Inu-no-Taisho-dono. Well, maybe… my hands hurt the same when I punched Masuka."

I sighed heavily at the memory of the villagers' dark whispers after that day, and the Inu-no-Taisho scowled down at me. "You have what you seek, so why are you not happy now?"

Shaking the clinging dirt from the _mogusa,_ I shuffled my feet. _Should I tell him?_My mind raced briefly, and I squared my shoulders to the tall youkai as I told of the fear that lay in my heart. "I don't know what this is, the funny feeling that comes from my center like a fire, shooting down my arms and out of my hands in a pink-colored cloud. I feel…like I'm _not in my body_ when it happens, as if I'm seeing thorough the eye of someone else. I don't know if I'll hurt someone one day with… whatever this is, and I'm scared. The villagers- they say I'm an _akuma_."

He made that barking-laugh sound again, shaking his head. "You are far from an _akuma_, even though your beating of your cousin would state otherwise. Come," he invited. "Let us walk the forest to find the tree plant."

We hadn't gone far before I spotted the tree plant, overhead in the branches of a magnolia tree. It was a large bunch, full of bitter, yellow-green berries that were safe to consume in small amounts for treatment. _Mother will be amazed!_ "Up there!" I exclaimed, pointing to the cluster. Setting down my handful of _mogusa_and nettle, I approached the magnolia tree with both intent and curiosity. There, in the center of the trunk, was a huge knot that looked very much like a face. Giggling mentally at the thought of a 'demon tree', I tucked up my kimono skirts and jumped, placing my feet onto the knot, and eagerly clambered up the trunk. The cluster grew off of the biggest branch, and thank the kami was not too high above the ground.

After testing my weight on the thickest part of the bough, I lay on my stomach, gripped the wood between my arms, and shimmied towards the clump. Reaching out, I snagged the main root of the cluster and gave a twist. A sticky mass spewed forth from the cluster, trying to cling to my hand. Short bursts of violet-pink light suddenly shot out from my fingers, stinging my palm where the mass was stuck, and the sap quickly burned away. I imagined that I heard a high-pitched cry coming from the cluster, and my eyes widened as the berries turned from silver to red.

_What does this mean? Will the cluster be less potent now that the berries have changed color?_Twisting the clump a bit harder, with a small ripping noise the parasitic plant came free. Tucking my prize into my obi, I swung off the branch and hung there like a monkey before dropping to the ground. The Inu-no-Taisho looked at me in amazement, but I felt disappointed. "I'm afraid that my climb might have been a waste," I grumbled, displaying the bright berries now adorning the plant.

He gravely inspected the wilted greenery. "It is now safe for human consumption," he declared before continuing. "About your…'funny feeling'. There is a shrine in your village?" I nodded in affirmation. "Then become a miko. You already have the ability. As a miko, you can learn to protect yourself and your village."

"They don't know what to do about me. They've never seen anyone like me before."

"Nor have I, young one," came a low baritone in the direction of the tree. Both of our glances shot up towards the knot, which had morphed into a definitive face. Two pieces of bark peeled back to reveal what deceptively appeared to be the smooth, pale yellow bark underneath. But it wasn't bark at all! Wise-looking eyes gazed back at us, apparently enjoying our consternation. "What is your name, girl?"

I blanched, pointing at the face. "You're a _youkai_…? A _tree youkai_!" A mixture of disbelief and excitement swept over me; I hadn't ever heard tales of spirit-trees. _Spirits that lived amongst the trees, yes, but..._

The tree-youkai turned its gaze towards the Inu-no-Taisho. "It has been a long time since you were in my part of the woods, pup. The last I saw you, we were the same height." The Inu-no-Taisho approached the magnolia, bowing politely before answering. "Bokusen'o-sama, it _is_ you. Yes, it has been a while. I had heard you 'disappeared' for a time."

The wood-formed mouth creaked into a grin. "Not disappeared, pup; more akin to 'possessed'. Sucked the life from me—a small fry, but when your branches aren't long enough to remove it yourself, what are you to do? Damn thing was a pain in the knot." They shared a chuckle before the tree again turned its attention to me. "The cluster you removed was a parasite youkai. So, young one, who are you?"

"I… I'm Midoriko." I stammered, hardly believing that I was talking to a tree. Almost forgetting my manners, I bowed quickly. "I'm sorry, Bokusen'o-sama! I didn't mean to… I meant no harm."

"Harm?" he boomed. "What harm could have come from removing something that was actually doing harm?" The low-hanging branches bent towards me, and although I felt skittish, I stood my ground. Gently, the branches wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer. "Come here, girl. I wish to have a better look at you." I stepped forward with the motion of the branches until I was eye-level with the pale, bark-framed face. Scrutinizing me up and down, he peered into my eyes for a moment. The wooden eyelids descended into a half-lidded stare that penetrated into my soul. "Hmm, you are an unusual child. Untrained you are, but aptly named. No ordinary shrine will know what to do with you, this is true, so a more suitable one must be your guide." The wise, pale yellow gaze turned toward the golden eyes. "You there, pup, you know of which shrine I speak." The encircling branches fell away.

"Indeed. The longer her power remains untamed, the more unruly it will grow." The Inu-no-Taisho gazed skyward in thought, the sunlight reflecting off of his long silver hair. Finally he said to me, "I can take you to a shrine that is dedicated to training miko."

I positively beamed at the two of them. Bowing before the magnolia, I expressed my gratitude. "Thank you, Bokusen'o-sama, for your advice." Turning in my companion's direction, I asked, "I have to return these plants to my mother, and ask for permission. Will you wait for me?"

"I cannot," he rumbled. "Not today. My duties call me to the northern borders of my lands."

I gathered my clumps of plants and the two of us headed back towards my village. Dejected, I hung my head the entire way. _But wait… he did not say that he would never take me._ _I wonder what his duties are, and where his borders lie? _We stopped at the edge of the forest, the familiar path towards my village in plain sight ahead. My hope renewed, I looked up in time to see the Inu-no-Taisho regarding me with a thoughtful expression.

"Meet me here again, in seven days. I will take you then," he said, and I smiled so wide that my cheeks hurt. Turning on his heel, he started to leave, then stopped. Glancing over his armored shoulder, he warned, "_Don't_ be late."

Then he was gone. _Again_.

_**You have been the cause of so much death and destruction to humans that I can ignore it no longer…**_

**xXx**

* * *

**Author's note on herbal 'harvest': **_Mogusa _is one of various names for the herb mugwort. Mugwort (_Artemisia vulgaris_) has been used in folk-healing over centuries to treat a wide variety of ailments. It is a nervine- used to treat insomnia, nervousness, and to kill parasitic worms. It is used in Chinese medicine for moxabustion, and has been described as a narcotic able to produce mild halucinations. The smallest amounts are used in treatment, as accidental poisoning could result from a higher dose.

Nettle (_Urtica dioica_) is also a healing plant, dried and brewed as a tea in folk medicine for use as a diuretic, to build the blood, for arthritis and rheumatism. It is commonly known throughout the world as 'Stinging Nettle' due to the abundance of 'stinging hairs' found on the underside of the plant's leaves. The hairs contain within them histamine and formic acid; when coming in contact with the skin, a stinging sensation is the result.

The 'parasitic plant' that Midoriko purifies is mistletoe. Known in parts of Europe and Wales as _Ulchelwydd_, or 'all-heal'. Mistletoe acts as a catalyst; that is, is amplifies the properties of whatever herb/plant it is combined with. On its own, two types are used in European and Asian medicine: American mistletoe (_Phoradendrum serotinum_) and European mistletoe (_Viscum album_); recent studies have shown promising results as a possible anti-cancer agent.

**Bokusen'o-sama**, according to the anime/manga, is a magnolia tree that had reached the venerable age of 2,000+ years after Inuyasha's 'awakening'. Since Midoriko may have existed during the Heian Era (aprox. 1100 BCE, according to the _Inuyasha Profiles_ book), who's to say that the ancient wood _wasn't_ a friend of the family? ::grin::


End file.
